The ESPN.com headlines Tuesday felt like one big cry for quarterback help:
• “Browns GM: Starting QB up for grabs, includes Sanders, Watson”
• “Falcons GM: QB Cousins to be released March 11”
• “Dolphins GM: ‘Everything’s on the table’ with Tua”
• “Texans GM: Stroud trade speculation is ‘moronic’”
I also spotted a Jets-related headline about running back Breece Hall, but every Jets headline should be: “Jets still can’t believe they signed Justin Fields”
What a disaster. But that’s not to say all teams are in quarterback trouble. Most are not. Across the AFC, you have Josh Allen, Drake Maye, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Bo Nix and soon Fernando Mendoza. That’s nine of 16 teams that must feel pretty good about their future at the most important position in sports.
The Steelers are not one of them, and neither are any of the aforementioned headliners. Those teams should make the Steelers feel slightly better about themselves. At least they haven’t sunk millions into the wrong guy.
A closer look at the headliners:
• The Browns will stage a battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders? That’s gonna be worse than Mayweather-Pacquiao. Team owner Jimmy Haslam already said “we took a big swing and miss” on Watson. Oh well, at least his cap hit is only $80.7 million next season.
• Texans GM Nick Caserio can say whatever he wants. Privately, that organization must be mortified by C.J. Stroud morphing into some combination of Nate Peterman and late-stage Jake Delhomme in the playoffs. Stroud fumbled five times against the Steelers and threw four interceptions against the Patriots. The only “moronic” move now is to keep him and waste a great defense again.
• Atlanta’s depending on Michael Penix Jr. after flushing $100 million down the Cousins toilet. Somebody help them.
• The Dolphins might be in the worst shape of all. Nobody wants Tua, because he stinks. That means the Dolphins might have to release him and eat $99 million in dead money.
I’d rather be the Steelers than them.
And yes I know, that’s an awfully low bar.
